annual report 2014 - Communities In Schools

annual report 2014
Change the picture.
The answer
is simple.
As part of our effort to get the word out, Academy
Somebody needs to actually see them. To care.
Award–winning filmmaker Errol Morris joined
To be there. Just as we are with our own children.”
with us to tell our kids’ stories. Like Tres’Rionna’s.
Turn the page to learn what Elaine and President
After getting to know her, Errol remarked to Elaine
Dan Cardinali have to say in response. And visit
Wynn, Chair, CIS National Board, “It is the falling
communitiesinschools.org/tresrionna to learn
through the cracks that hurts these kids. And
more about this exceptional student. One we
the answer is so simple. We need to see them.
proudly call ours.
03
an ANECDOTE.
We couldn’t agree more with the sage words of our new friend and supporter Errol Morris: no
child should fall through the cracks and remain unseen, their needs unmet. Indeed, seeing each
student as an individual and doing whatever it takes to help her or him succeed in both school
and in life is the obsession of our organization. It has been so since our founding in 1977, and still
is. So we present to you our 2014 Annual Report, complete with a wealth of data covering the
year. But first, here are four trends to help put the numbers in perspective:
Our quality is improving.
We continue to push consistent quality throughout the network, because every student in every
community deserves our best. In 2014, eleven more affiliates were accredited under our rigorous
Total Quality System, bringing us very close to our goal of 100%.
Our network is growing.
Quality drives quantity at CIS. Instead of expanding into new communities in 2014, we focused
on going deep by adding more than 150,000 new students within our existing network. For an
organization of our size, an annual growth rate above 10% is pretty astounding, and it speaks to
the hard work and dedication of the entire network.
Our challenge is increasing.
For the first time, a majority of students in American public schools are now living in poverty.
When economic hardship is the rule rather than the exception, schools face an enormous
challenge in helping students overcome the nonacademic barriers to learning.
Our moment is dawning.
Educators and policymakers are increasingly aware of the difficulties that poor kids face at
school. The question is no longer, “Does poverty matter in the classroom?” but rather, “What
can we do about it?” After more than 40 years of hard work, we may finally be at the tipping
point where integrated student supports (ISS) becomes a way to solve our challenges in
public education.
We’re proud to be at the forefront of that movement – and a little overwhelmed at the same
time. With 11 million U.S. children living in poverty, the “big picture” can be daunting, but we’re
already changing the picture for nearly 1.5 million students each day. In the following pages,
every face and every story is another reminder of why we do what we do – and with your help,
we’re committed to doing it even better.
05
“When it comes to unlocking each
and every child’s full potential,
we will never give up.”
THE CONTEXT
table of contents
the answer
A new supporter sees what is needed.
the context
A message from our President and Chair.
the Highlights
Three strategic initiatives. Significant tangible progress.
The proof
You can’t just say it. You have to do it.
The role of you
We couldn’t have done it without many supporters.
The money
Where it comes from. Where it goes.
The founder
Back to the source for more inspiration.
Hector, student, CIS of Los Angeles
03
05
09
13
19
25
31
Ellie, graduate, CIS of South Central Texas
the Highlights
“I couldn’t have done it without
Communities In Schools.”
focus. and get results.
Without doubt, any list of highlights must start and finish with the students we serve. Like Ellie, pictured
on the previous page, who worked with her site coordinator to overcome devastating obstacles at home to
graduate from high school, move on to college and begin a career in fashion. But while our success happens
child-by-child, our impact is felt system-wide and nationwide. Here are three strategic areas we identified
for improvement, and a look at the progress we made.
Grow with Quality
Change the Frame
Secure the Future
Eleven more affiliates were
To help put a face on the dropout
At the close of our three-year
accredited under our rigorous
crisis, we launched Change the
capital growth campaign in 2014,
Total Quality System (TQS), and
Picture, our first-ever nationwide
we were able to invest $30 million
our goal of 100% accreditation is
branding campaign that earned
into our network, helping to
now within reach. TQS helps to
nearly $14 million in pro bono ad
leverage an additional $600
ensure that every child we serve
placements in just six months.
million in local resources for
in every community is getting the
To highlight our successes, we
our affiliates.
hosted the World’s Biggest
By partnering with state affiliates
As quality improves at the local
Graduation Celebration, a social
on advocacy and communication
level, affiliates are able to increase
media extravaganza that
efforts, we helped to secure $27.5
capacity, as well. In 2014, we
showcased our kids in their
million in new public funding in
served an additional 150,000 kids
proudest moment.
Kansas, North Carolina and Texas.
within our existing network – a
For a deeper dive into the issues,
We saluted our board chair, Elaine
our national leadership went on a
Wynn, with a one-night event in
For the first time ever, The
media offensive, earning space or
New York that drew the support of
NonProfit Times named CIS to
airtime with top-tier outlets
top corporate and political leaders,
its Top 100 list of the largest
including The New York Times,
exposing many of them to our
nonprofit organizations in
The Wall Street Journal and
work for the first time.
the United States.
MSNBC – just to name a few.
same high level of support.
growth rate of nearly 10%.
Throughout the public education
system, we saw a clear trend
toward broader acceptance of
integrated student supports as
a useful and productive strategy.
This was driven, in part, by the
first-ever independent review of
ISS, published by Child Trends in
Ryan, graduate, CIS of Washington
11
February 2014.
Katherine, student, CIS of Bay Area
the proof
With students like Katherine, we find that
early engagement creates long-term success.
For the child. And the system.
state by state
Saying you care is one thing. Actually changing the equation is another. Here’s a look at how we did,
across the nation, as we served nearly 1.5 million students in 25 states and the District of Columbia.
“...we served nearly 1.5 million
students in 25 states and D.C.”
IL · IN ·MI ·OH
KS · NE · OK
CENTRAL
students served:
AK · CA · NV · WA
41,552
MIDWEST
121,648
students served:
DE · DC
MA · NY · PA ·VA · wv
NORTHEAST
students served:
WESTERN
66,737
students served:
91,420
SOUTHWEST
SOUTHEAST
students served:
451,406
students served:
710,029
For a complete list of Communities In Schools affiliates,
please visit www.communitiesinschools.org/about/where
15
LA · NM · TX
FL · GA · NC · SC · TN
When you look at the metrics behind the stories of our kids’ success, the
whole picture of education in America changes, looking brighter than ever.*
82%
93%
of students served
were racial minorities
students were eligible
for free or reducedprice lunch
1.48 million
234,000
41,000
parents, guardians and
other family members
participated in their
children’s education
community volunteers
donated their time
77%
88%
83%
met their attendance
improvement goals
met their behavior
improvement goals
met their academic
improvement goals
students and
their families were
directly connected
to resources
79%
93%
99%
$24 million
met their suspension
reduction goals
of students in K-11
were promoted to the
next grade level
of students remained
in school at the end of
the 2013-14 school year
worth of volunteer
time was accrued
91%
of eligible
seniors graduated
72%
2,350
of graduates went on
to some form of postsecondary education
schools and
community-based sites
partnered with CIS
* The data in this section reflects case-managed students
10,500
community partner
organizations
benefited at-risk
students
161
local affiliates and
three Diplomas Now
programs operated
in 25 states and the
District of Columbia
154,000
students received
targeted case
management services
4,700
nonprofit and
youth-development
professionals carried
out the CIS mission
$159
the annual cost per
student served
17
student by student
Dr. Demona Warren, Site Coordinator, CIS of Atlanta
the role of you
“I was created to do this.”
the role of you
The word “community” in our name is no accident. This work takes real partnership,
real collaboration, real engagement. From all kinds of supporters. Including you.
Thank you to all of our 2014 fiscal year contributors.
William and Donna Acquavella
The Allwin Family
Altria Group
Anonymous
AT&T
Robert H.B. Baldwin, Jr. and
Margaret J. Sieck
The Bank of America Charitable
Foundation, Inc.
Capital One
Anne Cox Chambers
James Cox Chambers
The Edna McConnell Clark
Foundation
Community Action Project of
Tulsa County
CBS Corporation
Midler Family Foundation
MetLife
Ray Chambers
Irwin and Susan Molasky
classroom champions
Milken Family Foundation
Larry and Deirdre Cohen
Moldaw Family Supporting
Foundation 2 of the Jewish
Community Endowment Fund
Daniel H. Adler
National Philanthropic Trust
John D. Nixon
Paragon Gaming
Procter & Gamble
Red Hat
Robertson Foundation
Julian H. Robertson, Jr.
Charles and Lynn Schusterman
Family Foundation
John Shaw
Social Innovation Fund
The Wallace Foundation
Jason G. and Donna E. Weiss
The Wildflower Foundation, Inc.
Elaine P. Wynn and
Family Foundation
Jerry Colangelo and USA Basketball
James M. and Susan Cole
Beth and Ronald I. Dozoretz
John R. Ettinger
Matthew and Moonie Fishburn
The Flom Family Foundation
Gabelli Funds
Sandy Gallin
Daniel R. and Rhoda J. Glickman
Herzing Family
Phillip Isom
Renu Jain
George and Janet Johnson
Alan Jones and Ashley Garrett
Costco
Kent and Karen Jordan
Creative Artists Agency
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Dean’s list
Robert A. Day and the W.M. Keck
Foundation
The Emerson Collective Education
Fund
The David Geffen Foundation
Hudson Group
Judy Hart Angelo and
John M. Angelo
Lovee and Bob Arum
Robert H.B. Baldwin through the
Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation
ICAP®
Bank of America
George Kaiser Family Foundation
Judy and Ron Baron
Bobby Kotick
Geoffrey and Norine Boisi
The George Lucas
Family Foundation
Daniel J. Cardinali and
Scott E. Mitchell
Michael Keithley
Ronald Kramer
Mike and Mickie Krzyzewski
Robert and Susan Labriola
Linda and Philip Lader
Lear Family Foundation
Pam and Stanley Maron
Kevin and Lynnette McCollum
Rick McVey
Ron Meyer
Morgan Stanley
Moss Foundation
S.I. Newhouse Foundation
Joanne and Hank Asbill
John and Margaret Bader
Melanie Bialis
BlackRock Inc.
Vincent and Susan Giampapa
Foundation, Inc.
J. Peter Simon
Gleason Family Foundation
Bob and Sandy Miller
Sally Susman and Robin Canter
Allen and Deborah Grubman
William and Jean Milliken
Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Gregory Haffner
Debra Montanino and
Joan Sherman
Charles Teixeira
Lawrence Haverty
Matthew Heller & Susan Holmes
Herzing, Inc.
John and Nancy Hoffman
Jenna Morton
The Honorable
Georgette Mosbacher
Naismith Memorial Basketball
Hall of Fame
Omidyar Global Fund of the
Hawai’i Community Foundation
Jacob and Ruth Bloom
Mike and Missy Perlis
Nicholas Branker
Jeffrey Rackover
Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation
Ingram Yuzek Gainen Carroll &
Bertolotti, LLP
Dr. Quentin Regestein
Mr. and Mrs. Richard “Skip” Bronson
Jerald Irving
John Oliver (The Oliver Group LLC)
Adam and Jessica Reinmann
Oliver Brooks
Sheila C. Johnson
Michael Parham
Rick M. Rieder and Debra Leib
Tom Burke
Jodi Kahn and Fred Poust
Jeffrey and Tracey Perlmutter
Alex T. Robertson
Governor Jeb Bush
Joel Klein and Nicole Seligman
C. Gregg and Julie Petersmeyer
Susan and Richard Rogel
Tom Byrne
Ken Kragen
Virginia and Jonathan Powers
Daryl & Steven Roth
CA Inc.
Christie Noelle and Scott Krase
James Read
Manoj Saxena
Amy and Dan Cantor
Stephen Leeds
Jon and Sue Resnick
The Scully Peretsman Foundation
Marty Castro
Todd-Avery Lenahan
SS + K
The Causeway Agency, LLC
Lisa and Andy Lerner
Lynda and Stewart Resnick and
the Resnick Family Foundation
Leonard and Lauren Stern
Andy Chisholm and
Laurie Thomson
Robin Levitt
Daniel Sullivan
Thomson Reuters
Marc Tishfield
Dani and Ted Virtue
Todd Creek
Brian Davis
Susan and Jonathan Dolgen
Daniel A. Domenech
George Weiss and Say Yes
to Education Foundation
Sam and Wendy Frieder
Sherrie and David Westin
Eric and Lori Friedman
Wynn Las Vegas
Randal Gernaat
Robert R. Hopper
Jaclyn Libowitz
Steve and Sue Mandel
Mark Kaminsky
Lauren Marx-Abel
Robert and Jane Matluck
Kathleen M. McGrath
The Pearl Welinsky
Merlo Foundation
Michael Dunitz Crisis
Katie Nelson
Douglas Neuse
Lori Traweek
Tonya Ugoretz
Bob Understein
The Urken Family
Nicholas Veikos
Christine Watkins
Irwin and Kathryn Weiss
Jesse Weisshaar
Linda Gale and Mark White
Ava D. Youngblood
Barbara J. Richmon
John Rosenberg
David Rutter
Dana Sano in memory of Tosh Sano
Peter Schwartzman
Sebonack Foundation
Robert and Jane Shepardson
Arthur and Beverly Shorin
Scott and Amy Silverstein
21
Honor society
Jillian Manus
National Board of directors
Leonard Stern
Shepardson Stern + Kaminsky
CHAIRMAN
Daniel Sullivan
Ahold USA
Elaine Wynn
Wynn Resorts
FOUNDER & VICE CHAIRMAN
William E. Milliken
Christopher F. Allwin
General Maritime Corporation
Robert H.B. Baldwin, Jr.
Heartland Payment Systems
Martin R. Castro
New Futuro
Nuestro Futuro
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
James Cox Chambers
Field Hands Productions
Joseph DiDomizio
The Hudson Group, Dufry AG
Daniel A. Domenech
American Association of
School Administrators
John R. Ettinger
The Helmsley Trust
Donna Weiss
Sherrie Rollins Westin
Sesame Workshop
Linda Gale White
Former First Lady of Texas
Ava Youngblood
Youngblood Executive Search, Inc
National leadership council*
Daniel H. Adler
Founder & Principal
Media Eagles
Andre Agassi
Founder
Andre Agassi Foundation
for Education
Shaun Alexander
NFL Football Player,
Author & Owner
Shaun Alexander Enterprises
Michael B. French
Altria Client Services
Dean Allen
Managing Director
Riverside Capital
Rhoda Glickman
Empire State Development
Corporation
Dr. Paula Allen-Meares
Chancellor
University of Illinois at Chicago
Michael Keithley
Creative Artists Agency
Maria Allwin
Jillian Manus
Manus Media & Literary Agency
Structure Capital
John Nixon
ICAP®
Michael Parham
RealNetworks, Inc.
Jonathan G. Powers
Town of Pound Ridge, N.Y.
Manoj Saxena
The Entrepreneurs’ Fund
*Current as of publication date
Herb Alpert
Co-Founder
A&M Records
Frantz Alphonse
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
APC Holdings, LLC
Wally Amos
Chairman & Co-Founder
Read It LOUD!
Burt Bacharach
Ambassador Elizabeth
Frawley Bagley
Robert H. B. Baldwin
Founding Chairman
Communities In Schools National
Office
Brian Becker
Chief Executive Officer
BASE Entertainment
Marc Benioff
Chairman & Chief
Executive Officer
Salesforce.com
Janet Lea Berman
Wayne Berman
Senior Advisor for Global
Government Affairs
Blackstone Group
Geoffrey T. Boisi
Chairman & Chief
Executive Officer
Roundtable Investment Partners
Gerald Breslauer
Partner
Breslauer, Rutman &
Anderson LLC
Senator William E. Brock
Sandy Brock
Janet H. Brown
Executive Director
Commission on Presidential
Debates
Reneé Brown
Chief of Basketball Operations &
Player Relations
WNBA
Stephen B. Burke
Chief Executive Officer
NBCUniversal
Executive Vice President
Comcast Corporation
Russell J. Carpentieri
Managing Director & Partner
Opus Advisory Group, LLC
Anne Cox Chambers
Chairman
Atlanta Newspapers
Raymond Chambers
Founder
The MCJ Amelior Foundation
Audrey Choi
CEO
Institute for Sustainable Investing
Managing Director & Head, Global
Sustainable Finance
Morgan Stanley
Charles A. Clarkson
Founder & Chairman
The Clarkson Group
Roger J. Dow
President & CEO
U.S. Travel Association
Ronald I. Dozoretz, M.D.
Chairman
ValueOptions®
Millard Drexler
Chief Executive Officer &
Chairman of the Board
J. Crew
Joseph Durnford
Chief Executive Officer
JD Ford & Company
Leslie Fielden, Esq.
Lance Freed
President
Rondor Music International
Ann Gardner
Director
Communities In Schools of the
Nation’s Capital
John H. Gardner
President & Chief
Executive Officer
Buvermo Properties
Joseph Gigliotti
Managing Director, CFO
Three Bays Capital, LP
Hon. Daniel Glickman
Executive Director
The Aspen Institute Congressional
Program; Senior Fellow, Bipartisan
Policy Center
Stefanie Graf
Founder
Children for Tomorrow
Roger W. Hobby
Executive Vice President
Fidelity Investments
J. Douglas Holladay
Founder
PathNorth
Eric Liu
Co-Founder
Guiding Lights Network
Robert R. Hopper
Senior Partner
Robert R. Hopper & Associates
Richard Lovett
President
Creative Artists Agency
Dr. Paul D. Houston
Author
President & Founding Partner
Center for Empowered Leadership
Kerman Maddox
Managing Partner
Dakota Communications
Thomas J. Hutchison, III
Principal
Hutchison Advisors, Inc.
Kevin Huvane
Managing Partner
Creative Artists Agency
Shavar D. Jeffries
Associate Professor of Law Center
for Social Justice
Seton Hall University School of Law
George H. Johnson
Founder & President
Johnson Properties
Alan K. Jones
Managing Director & Global Head
of the Private Equity Group
Morgan Stanley
Peter A. Magowan
Director
Caterpillar, Inc.
Joseph P. McCarthy
Senior Vice President
Chief Human Resources Officer
Altisource
Betsy McCormack
Retired WTA Tennis Professional
Susan McCue
President
Message Global LLC
William J. McEnroe
Managing Partner
Fund Tax Services
Phyllis Moldaw
Susan Rogel
Jerry Moss
Chairman
ALMO Sounds, Inc.
E. Robert Roskind
Chairman
Lexington Corporate
Properties Trust
Gwendolyn Adams Norton
Jack L. Oliver, III
Senior Policy Advisor
Bryan Cave LLP
Barclay’s Capital
Michael Olshan
Chairman, Managing Partner
O-CAP Management L.P.
Pratish Patel
Mark C. Percy
Principal
Next Generation Strategies, LLC
Richard Plepler
Chairman & CEO
HBO
Joseph P. Portera
Executive Vice President
Chief Operating Officer, Eastern
& Canadian Divisions, Chief
Diversity Officer
Costco Wholesale Corp.
Joyce Klein
The Honorable Rob McKenna
Partner
Orrick, Herrington &
Sutcliffe LLP
Ken Kragen
President
Kragen & Company
Ron Meyer
Vice Chairman
NBCUniversal
Robert J. Labriola
Senior Vice President
Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
Michael Milken
Co-Founder
Milken Family Foundation
Linda LeSourd Lader
President
Renaissance Institute
Denny M. Miller
President
Denny Miller Associates
Rick Rieder
Managing Director, Chief Investment
Officer of Fundamental Fixed Income
BlackRock
Daniella Landau
Founding Partner
Hannegan Landau
Poersch Advocacy
Jill Milliken
Mid-Atlantic & Southeast Sales
Europ Assistance
David S. Robbins
Partner
K&L Gates
Sean Milliken
Director of Nonprofit Strategy
eBay, Inc.
Alex T. Robertson
Managing Partner
Tiger Management, LLC
Scott Ellis Mitchell
Attorney
Federal Aviation Administration
Julian H. Robertson, Jr.
Chairman
Tiger Management, LLC
Michael Moe
Advisor
GSV Advisors
Richard Rogel
President & CEO
Tomay, Inc.
Simone Levinson
Vice Chairman
Turnaround for Children, Inc.
Robert Light
Managing Partner & Head of Music
Creative Artists Agency
Thomas Reed
Director, Office of Communications
Business Opportunities
Federal Communications
Commission
Vanessa Reed
Trial Attorney
Department of Justice
Christopher M. Schroeder
John C. Shaw
Managing Director &
Co-Founder
Resource Holdings Ltd.
Russell Simmons
Chairman & CEO
Rush Communications
Jim Sinegal
Co-Founder & Director
Costco Wholesale Corp.
Nathan Troutman
Managing Partner
Privatus Partners
Bob Understein
President
Government Transformation
Initiative
Tom Vander Ark
CEO
Getting Smart
Happy Walters
Co-Chief Operating Officer
Relativity Media
William H. Walton, III
Founding Managing Member
Rockpoint Group, LLC
Jason Weiss
Owner
Terrapin Palisades Ventures, LLC
Stephen A. Wynn
Chairman & CEO
Wynn Resorts
Jim Youngren
Chairman, Board of Directors
Long Live the Kings
23
the role of you
Cont.
Jamal, graduate, CIS of Charlotte-Mecklenburg
the money
"I'm going to grow up and
do something great for the world."
funding sources (AFFILIATES)
When you set out to change the way each child in the system is seen­­—as a unique center of possibility
for our future—you have to go beyond normal math, and available and dwindling public funds. Here is
where the money is coming from to fund our 161 affiliates across the country.
Grants
$150,894,110
Cash
$25,682,492
In-Kind
$22,574,386
47% Private
($93,600,964)
($105,550,024)
Emmiley, student, CIS of Mid-America
*Does not include national or state offices
total affiliate Funding
$199,150,988*
27
53% Public
Accountability (National Office)
At the center of the Communities In Schools network is a strong core of national office staff and leadership
dedicated to changing the picture of education. We leverage all available resources to fund our national
operations in support of our network. We continue to be recognized by independent nonprofit evaluation
national office
support & revenue
57% 30%
8%
5%
organizations for our financial accountability, transparency and sound business practices.
Corporations
Individuals &
Family Foundations
Foundations
Grants &
Governmental Agencies
Activities & Changes in Net Assets
financial position
Year Ended September 30, 2014*
Year Ended September 30, 2014*
SUPPORT & REVENUE
Assets
Contributions:
Cash & Cash Equivalents
Foundations†
$ 3,043,059
Cash Held for Restricted Purposes
Corporations‡
20,825,392
Investments
Individuals/Family Foundations
11,171,392
Pledges Receivable, net
Grants–Governmental Agencies
1,723,737
Government Grants Receivable
Other Revenue
82,941
Other Assets
Total Support & Revenue
$ 36,846,521
Fixed Assets, net
Total Assets
$ 15,239,926
128,123
35,024,954
1,724,828
221,098
975,553
1,028,426
$ 54,342,908
expenses
LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS
Program Services:
Advocacy
Public Awareness & Communication
In-Kind Expenditures
Total Program Services
General & Administrative
Fundraising
64% Network Operations
Total Supporting Services
Public Awareness
& Communications
Fundraising
Advocacy
General & Administrative
Accounts Payable & Accrued Liabilities
5,557,925
Deferred Rent
14,095,929
Total Liabilities
$ 39,748,215
$ 3,601,139
$ 43,349,354
Change in Net Assets from Operations
$ (6,502,833)
$ 1,402,937
450,759
$ 1,853,696
Net Assets:
Unrestricted
12,895,820
Temporarily Restricted
14,583,312
Permanently Restricted
25,010,080
Total Net Assets
$ 52,489,212
Total Liabilities & Net Assets
$ 54,342,908
4,457,822
Change in Net Assets
(2,045,011)
Beginning Net Assets
54,534,223
Ending Net Assets
* Excludes in-kind expenditures
637,514
2,963,625
Total Expenses
Investment Income (Loss), net
Liabilities:
1,381,236
Supporting Services:
national office
Expenses*
19% 10%
5%
2%
$ 18,713,125
$ 52,489,212
* Communities In Schools fiscal year 2014 began October 1, 2013, and ended September 30, 2014
† Does not include family foundations
‡ Includes $14,095,929 in in-kind media and software
29
Network Operations
When we started our street academies in Harlem 50 years ago, we worried that the dropout
crisis was creating a nation of haves and have-nots. And today, with more than 1 million
children dropping out of school every year – mostly poor children of color – we know that the
battle for America’s future will be won or lost at the schoolhouse door.
Back then, we began with a long-term vision because we knew this had to work at both the
individual and institutional levels. As it turns out, we were faster and better on the individual
side: building relationships, and “loving kids into change,” is an approach that everyone can
understand, and we were able eventually to reach critical mass, a necessary first step toward
institutional change.
The institutional piece has been trickier. For years, we had the passion but not the proof.
The real game-changer for our model has been the recognition of the essential role of a site
coordinator, who becomes woven into the fabric of the school. The site coordinator frees up the
principals to lead and the teachers to teach by coordinating the community services that help
the students focus on learning. Once we became integrated into the schools, we began to get
consistent results, and today we have years of data to prove that the Communities In Schools
model works.
We knew it would take decades to reach critical mass, establish the effectiveness of our
model and then influence legislation to make that model more widely available. We always
knew our model worked but now, almost 40 years later, we are getting closer to seeing
integrated student-support services as part of our national education policy. Maybe this will
be the year that Congress takes notice, and passes an education bill that enables our schools
to help all kids succeed.
We started out with a lifetime commitment to this movement, and that hasn’t changed. I just
turned 75, and I’ve never been so optimistic about what we’re doing and where we’re going.
I’m grateful for having been part of something that is now serving nearly 1.5 million students
and their families annually. I look forward with great anticipation to seeing Communities
In Schools not only continue to grow but to be part of a larger coalition that will have a
positive impact on the lives of the other 11 million children who need our services. I believe
this will happen if we stay focused on our original vision of combining caring adults, caring
communities and caring and accountable delivery systems.
Bill Milliken
Founder and Vice Chairman
31
“We started out with a lifetime
commitment to this movement,
and that hasn’t changed.”
founder’s Letter
communitiesinschools.org
Communities In Schools | National Office | 2345 Crystal Drive, Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22202 | (800) 247-4543